In today’s tumultuous economy, what industry would you think is most active and innovative when it comes to communications? High tech? Alternative energy? Healthcare? Would you believe nonprofits?
Now, one might think that by their very designation and again considering economic challenges and realities, this would be a market sector with little or no dollars for communications. However, it is this very “industry” that truly understands and appreciates the sheer power and cost-effectiveness of a strategic approach to reaching key audiences. To be sure, nonprofits “get it.”
Undoubtedly, today, such organizations are more fiscally motivated, facing the hard fact that state and corporate dollars are no longer what they used to be. Expanding their communications net and reaching out to new sources of support and funding, they know, is vital and accomplished most effectively through traditional and social media.
The latter, in fact, is allowing nonprofits to affect active, on-going, 2-way communications with their “Friends” and “Followers” (those that want this information and discourse) on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and elsewhere. Time was, a nonprofit might interact, inform, engage and or tug on a heart string quarterly or even annually via the occasional newsletter and/or fundraiser. Today, the right messages communicated in the right way can be put forth daily; hourly if called for. Moreover, information can easily be shared and forwarded to others beyond the (ideally) ever-expanding “circle of friends.”
It is quite rewarding to work within a non-profit world, which many have considered parochial and staid historically, which is moving forward, so boldly and innovatively. They too are reaping rewards as are those they represent with such dedication.